The new program equips students with the skills they need to succeed in high-demand fields, fostering a thriving workforce in East Tennessee.
Oak Ridge High School’s career and technical education (CTE) program has become a linchpin in the region’s economic and workforce development efforts, notably through its aviation and welding programs.
The symbiotic relationship between these CTE initiatives and the local economy has sparked a transformation, where students not only receive specialized training in high-demand fields but also contribute directly to the growing workforce needs of East Tennessee’s industries.
Skills Player
“We perform a comprehensive local needs assessment every two years. We look at the Tennessee School Boards Association’s data dashboard, which includes the 16 career clusters aligned with our region, to learn about the most in-demand careers and the salary ranges of those careers,” says Holly Cross, supervisor of career readiness and communications for Oak Ridge Schools. “Then, we can use that data to make sure that our programs are aligned to the demand in our area — not just in Oak Ridge, but also in our surrounding counties and in Tennessee.”
Cross says the success of the high school’s CTE program is due, in no small part, to partnerships with local businesses…